Ruffling and shirring attachment for sewing-machines



(No Model.)

1:". 0. FARWELL. I RUPFLING AND SHIRRING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES.No. 254,543. v Patented Mar. 7,1882.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FAY 0. FARWELL, or onnsoo, IOWA.

RUFFLING AND SHIRRING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part'of Letters Patent No. 254,543, dated March'7, 1882.

Application filed December 30, 1881. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FAY O. FARWELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oresco, in the county of Howard and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Ruffling and ShirringAttachments for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Thisinvention relates to ruffling and shirring attachments forsewing-machines; and the invention consists in the construction andarrangement of devices, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, which fully illustrate my invention, Figure lis a perspective view of the attachment, showing its connection with thepresser-foot bar and needle-bar. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation. Fig. 3 is avertical section on the line was of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a sectionand an under plan of the withdrawing shield-support with its attachedblade and gage. Fig. 5 is a plan of the base-plate. Fig. 6 is a view ofthe sliding plate and attached ruflier-blade. Fig. 7 represents views ofthe actuating cam-levers. Fig. Sis a sectional detail, and Fig. 9represents the upper guide.

Like letters denote like parts in the several views.

The letter A represents the base-plate, which is provided with an arm,a, for the attachment of the presser-foot B. It is also provided on oneside, near its center, with a vertical arm, 0, at the upper end of whichis pivoted the actuating mechanism of the ruffling-blade.

An oblong projection, a, at one end of the base-plateA,is provided withslots b b, through which is passed respectively a rivet, o, and screw 0,for securing the shield-support D to the base-plate in such a mannerthat the said support and its attached blade D may be readily adjustedor partially withdrawn from below the sliding plateE and ruftling-bladeE, when desired. The thumb-nut c on the screw 0' holds the partssecurely when adjusted in the desired position.

The separator shield-support D is provided at one end with a curve orbend, d, a portion of which is separated from the rest, forming a guide,d. The separator shield or blade D is secured to the broad portion ofthe bend d. This construction of the shield-support D enables the clothto be ruffled to be placed in proper position between the blades D andE, either from the right or left, the narrow portion of the bend atforming a guide, d, for the lower hand.

To the upper portion of the vertical arm 0 are attached the cam-levers FG, by means of a common pivot, e. The lever F is provided at its lowerend with a pin or pivot, by means of which it is connected with thesliding plate E, and has near its upper end a shoulder, f, against whichthe end of the adjusting-screw H may be made to rest. This screw has itsbearing in a nut formed at the upper end of the cam-lever G. The upperend of the lever F forms a cam through which the lever is actuatedbytheneedle-barinitsupwardstroke. The cam or lever G is ad justablysecured in contact with the lever F by the pin or pivot e, which passesthrough the arm 0 and levers F G. This pivot is secured rigidly in thecam-lever G, and rotates in bearings formed in the arm 0. The lever Foscillates on the pivot 0 only when the adjusting-screw H is made tobear against the shoulder f. It will be seen that the lower end of thelever G forms a cam through which the ruffling-blade is actuated by theneedle-bar in its downward stroke.

The angular sliding plate E,to which is attached the ruffling-blade E,is'provided at one end. with a nut or ring, c, which forms a hearing forthe passage of the pin or pivot 6 by means of which said plate isconnected with the lower end of theleverF. The angular sliding plate Eis also provided with a projection, h, near its elbow or bend, whichprojection is designed to rest upon the projection a of the base-plate,and serves to assist in steadying the sliding plate while beingreciprocated. A projection or shoulder, z, formed on the under surfaceof the sliding plate E, also assists in steadying the sliding plate andits attached ruffling-blade while in operation.

The ruffling-blade E is composed of a strip of spring metal, and issuitably notched and toothed at its free end, which projects toward thepresser-foot. 'A suitable guide, I, is at-. tached to this blade toguide the upper band or piping, when desired. The separator blade orshield D, which is also composed of spring metal and is slotted ornotched at its .end, is secured to the support D, so as to projecttoward the presser-foot directly under the ruffling-blade.

The presser-foot B has a transverse aperture, 70, for the passage of anadjustable gagerod, K, which is used in several varieties of work. Thisrod is held in any position to which it may be adjusted by means of ascrew, m, passing into the presser-foot.

This ruffling attachment is applied to the presser-foot bar M, as shownin Fig. 1, and is operated by means of a needle-bar N.

The cloth to be ruffled is arranged between the ruffling-blade E andshield D, either from the right or left, as may be convenient, oraccording to the variety of work to be done. The cloth to be used as theupper band is creased near its edges and the creased edge is placedbetween the presser-foot B and rufflingblade E, its edge being guided bythe guide I on said blade. The lower band is arranged below the shieldD, its edge being guided by the guide (1. v

When the sewing-machine is put in operation the needle-bar Nrcciprocates just to the left of the actuating cam-levers F G. Near theend of its upward stroke the projection N comes in contact with the camend of the lever F, causing the ruffling-blade E, which is connectedwith the lower end of lever F by the sliding plate E, to move forwarduntil its teeth project toa certain point behind the needle, said teethengaging with the cloth under it andcausin g a fold or plait to beformed, which is held in position by the blade E until the needledescends through the aperture 01. in the base-plate and secures it. Asthe needle-bar descends the projection N comes in contact with the lowerend of the cam-lever G, which projection, N, on the returns theruftler-blade E in position for another fold. While the cloth is beingruffled or gathered in this manner it is also fed along and stitchednear the folded edge of the upper band by the needle 0, working throughthe aperture a in the base-plate.

By means of the thumb-screw H the camlever G is adjusted, in connectionwith the lever F, so as to regulate the rearward move-' ment of theslidingplate E, and thus limit the throw of the ruffling-blade E, forthe purpose of varying the fullness of the ruffle or gather.

By differently arranging the fabrics employed some fourteen differentvarieties of ruffles may be readily made.

It will be seen that the separator blade or shield D and its supportDare secured in position by means of the screw 0 and nut 6, so

that they can be readily withdrawn when required. By withdrawing thesupport D and blade D the toothed end of the ruffling-blade E will comein contact with the fabric or the upper of two fabrics placed under theattachment, thus enabling the operator to ruffle or shirr the upperpiece anywhere throughout its entire breadth. Any number of seams may beshirred parallel with each other, the distance between the seams beingregulated and guided by means of the gage-rod K, attached to thepresser-footB. This gage is used only in shirring, and may be removedwhile ruffling.

The advantage of arranging the separator or shield D so that it may bereadily withdrawn will be apparent. The delicacy of the material used inrufflingis often such that the teeth of the ruffler-blade would rufflethe lower band as well as the ruffle, were it not that the band isprotected by the separator or shield D. If this shield could not bewithdrawn or removed from below the blade D, a shirr or ruffle could notbe made any distance from the edge of the fabric.

It will thusbe seen thatshirring of all kinds and on any ordinarymaterial can be readily accomplished by means of this attachment.-

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a ruffling or shirring attachment for sewing-machines, thecombination, with the base-plate A, having projection a, and slots 1)b,of the withdrawing shield-support D, having rivet c, screw 0, and nut0 substantially as shown and described.

2. In a rufiiing and shirring attachment for sewing-machines, theangular sliding plate E, having projection h, shoulder i, and nut orring 0, in combination with the baseplate A, levers F G, and blade E,substantially as shown and. described.

FAY O. FARWELL.

Witnesses:

WM. BALDWIN, W. T. IRVINE.

IIO

